The Black Informant | African American Commentary, News and Community Building

Philadelphia rap artist Beanie Sigel was sentenced to a year in prison this afternoon and fined $25,000 by a federal judge who granted him a major break in recognition of his “post-arrest rehabilitation” and charitable works in the African American community.

Sigel, 30, faced a sentence of 30 to 37 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines on his guilty plea to gun and drug charges involving an April 20, 2003 police chase in South Philadelphia. (full article)

The question that I posed in the title of this posting is something that I was thinking about the other day. Anytime I see a hip-hop star get questioned on the content of their music, or the image that they present, they always fall back on the charities that they helped establish. Giving to the less fortunate around us is always a good thing. But does it justify something that is not life-giving (sexed-up videos, violent lyrics, etc.)In the end, I wonder if the people in these charities are really being helped if they are just in existence to ease someone’s conscience?